The two-day second meeting of Pak-China Joint Energy Working
Group (JEWG) ended in Islamabad with a happy note as China agreed to help
Pakistan in a big way to overcome its energy shortage. China assured Pakistan
that Chinese contractors would soon start construction of 1100MW Kohala
hydropower project and increase financial support for under construction 969MW
Neelum Jhelum hydropower project besides helping in completion of Diamir Bhasha.
MoUs were also signed after the meeting for setting up wind energy projects of
accumulative capacity of 550 MW initially.

Officials from both the countries signed the MoUs on behalf
of their respective organizations in the presence of minister for water and
power, Naveed Qamar, head of Chinese delegation and National Energy
Administrator, Wu Gui-He, and Chinese ambassador to Pakistan.

The first meeting of the group was held at Beijing in July
last year. Talking to the media after the signing ceremony, Pakistan minister
for power, apparently happy on the successful parlays, said that all the power
projects including coal, hydro and wind were thoroughly discussed in the two day
meeting and the Chinese companies have shown keen interest to provide technical
assistance and financial support for all mega projects and help Pakistan to
overcome the power crises in the country.

The minister expressed the hope that with the support of
China, the government of Pakistan will be able to overcome its energy deficit
problem. He said that the government has initiated several projects in power
sector and China has accepted our request to help in removing the financial and
other hurdles in smooth running of these projects having accumulative capacity
of over 10,000 MW.

Pakistan has asked technical help and financial assistance of
over $11 billion in executing 19 energy related crucial projects and removing
bottlenecks in them that are causing delay in their completion.

Earlier, speaking at the concluding session, the minister
said that the government would provide more and more facilities to the Chinese
investors in investing in the energy sector and assured them that all their
problems will be addressed on top priority basis.

"Our doors would always be open for Chinese companies
investing in Pakistan," he said adding that a lot of progress has been made in
the meeting for positive outcome in future

In his concluding speech, National Administrator of China
said that Pakistan has immense potential and rich resources for generating
energy. He said that China is cognizant of Pakistan energy demand and would
fully support it in overcoming the current power crises. He expressed hope that
Pakistan would overcome its power crises in the near future.

Pakistan was assured in the meeting that the Chinese
government would soon release the long awaited $448 million commercial loan for
Neelum Jhelum project.

Heads of Chinese companies who participated in the JEWG
meetings also called on the President Asif Ali Zardari along with the Chinese
Ambassador in Pakistan. Senator Dr. Asim Hussain, minister for petroleum, was
also present. The president, while highlighting the traditional all weather and
time-tested Pak China friendship, appreciated the efforts of Orient Group of
China for taking a lead in bringing private Chinese investment to Pakistan. He
said that the traditional friendship of the two countries was being transformed
into economic terms and both countries were trying to tap the full potential in
the economic and commercial fields.

The president also appreciated close cooperation of Orient
Group with Pak-China joint energy working group saying that it had a tremendous
potential of extending cooperation in all sectors such as hydro, thermal, coal,
wind and civil nuclear. While noting the increased production of their petroleum
project, the president expressed the hope that the company would be able to
enhance production of oil by tapping new resources. He invited the group to set
up an oil refinery in Pakistan.